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I fumble, flirt, and find my way through languages from Italian to Arabic, French to Spanish… and now, olá to Brazil and okuiya kuwa to Angola! 🌍

This episode’s a recap of my Italian journey (with French and Spanish twists), before I dive into Spanish and Arabic—maybe for future work with Saharan refugees. We talk handles (I can, je peux, posso), cognates (famille, familia, famiglia), idioms, tongues, and... glossolalia?

It’s not a language course—it’s an adventure. And yes, sometimes the ball goes over the net. 🗣️🏓

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Discover a technique that may help you with your studying, and let's implement it straight away. Today, we'll do two blocks of studying together, and meet during the breaks, where I get silly sharing the words for fruits and vegetables.

Music:

Drifting at 432 Hz - Unicorn Heads

The Inner Sound - Jesse Gallagher

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In this episode, we dive into the challenges of learning a new language when life demands your attention, and the difficulty in maintaining momentum when the stakes aren't life or death. I share my personal experiences and the ups and downs of language learning, from my early days of being a bullied foreigner in the UK to reflecting on how AI is changing the landscape of translation. We’ll explore the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and how language shapes our thoughts, and I’ll offer tips for staying consistent in your language learning journey. Plus, I want to hear from you—are you following along as a student or an entertainer? Let me know, and let’s make this journey even more engaging!

Email me surfingchaoschannel@gmail.com

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Episode Title: Celebrating French Language Day with Mark Steel

Episode Description:

Happy French Language Day! That’s right, it’s a thing. De nos jours, tout a sa journée… Established by the UN in 2010, this day celebrates multilingualism and cultural diversity, promoting the equal use of its six official languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, and Chinese.

Joining me today is none other than stand-up comedian and newspaper columnist Mark Steel. He’s written for The Guardian, The Independent, and the Daily Mirror, appeared on BBC TV and radio, and earlier this year, we performed shows together in the French Alps—in both English et en Français!

In this episode, Mark shares his experience of learning another language, specifically French. Though most of our conversation is in English, I’ll be sprinkling in some quick lessons and revisiting some brilliant language hacks that will have you recognizing hundreds, if not thousands, of words in French. Ooooh la la, magnifique, sacre bleu, fromage!

We dive into the quirks of language learning, from unexpected etymology (like

"cacking it" to the accidental comedy of pronunciation mishaps, and I’ll teach you a thing or two that’ll gave you more fluent than before.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it 5 stars on Apple Podcasts. It’ll help me help others learn languages!

And check out Art Of The Covenant podcast too.

Merci beaucoup (not beau cul, unless you mean it).

A bientôt!

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Maximise Your Language Learning – The Ultimate Guide to Fluency 🌍📚

Want to learn a language faster and more efficiently? This step-by-step guide breaks down exactly what you need to do to reach fluency, from mastering pronunciation to full immersion. Whether you're just starting or refining your skills, these proven methods will help you think and speak like a native!

🔹 Foundation: Pronunciation, sentence structure & essential vocab

🔹 Building fluency: Past & future tenses, listening & speaking practice

🔹 Refinement: Complex grammar, idioms & active writing

🔹 Advanced fluency: Full immersion, debates & reading advanced texts

No matter your level, this method will help you maximise your learning and speak with confidence!

In this episode, I recommend revisiting the Introduction, Subject Verb Object & Language Is Like Music on Apple Podcast.

👉 Watch now & start your language journey!

#LanguageLearning #Fluency #LearnLanguages #Polyglot #LanguageHacks #LanguageTips #ForeignLanguages #LanguageImmersion #SpeakLikeANative #FastTrackFluency

Music:

Panoramic Arrival - Asher Fulero

Amber - VYEN

Cosmic - Lish Grooves

Regular Fun - Surf Ninja 3

Dreams Of River Ganga - Hanu Dixit

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The Art of Apologizing: Sorry, Excuse Me, Pardon?!

Forgiving is for giving. But how do different languages handle apologies? From sorry and pardon to désolé and lo siento, I break down the fascinating origins of how we say "I'm sorry" across English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Arabic, and Chinese.

We’ll explore the history of these words, their deeper meanings, and some absurd examples—because let’s be honest, some apologies need more than just words.

Hit subscribe for more linguistic deep dives and life hacks!

#LanguageLearning #Etymology #Apologies #SorryNotSorry #LearnLanguages #linguistics

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